Launch of Investigator

The new Australian
Oceanographic research ship "Investigator", under construction in
Singapore, required a special launching technique due to the
fragile sonar gondola fitted under the hull of the vessel. Sarens
used 12 units 600t hydraulic skid shoes to skid the 4.500t ship
onto a barge that was ballasted using 12 units 1.000m³/hr hydraulic
submersible ballast pumps. The barge loaded with the ship was
brought into a drydock which was then flooded. After completely
filling the barge with water it was very carefully floated and thus
launched.